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Today we celebrate Provider Appreciation Day and the final day of Teacher Appreciation Week. We want to take this opportunity to reiterate our appreciation for early childhood educators across the country鈥攁nd our sincere commitment to creating a system and society that values, empowers, and compensates early childhood educators as the professionals and public servants that they are.听This week,听families, advocates, employers, and educators themselves have taken to social media, traditional media, and the halls of state capitol buildings across the country to show their support for early childhood educators and investments in early childhood systems.听

President Biden issued a听, saying:听鈥淲e owe our teachers and early childhood educators so much. We need to pay them better, improve听their听working conditions, and focus on recruitment and retention.鈥� We are encouraged by the show of support from the White House and so many state and federal policymakers who have celebrated and elevated Teacher Appreciation Week, Provider Appreciation Day, and Day Without Child Care this week. We鈥檙e ready to build on that momentum!听

As we look ahead, we must prioritize a system based on educator autonomy and accountability鈥攁 system that trusts the profession to determine what is appropriate and what early childhood professionals need in order to deliver high-quality early learning opportunities. We must also be intentional in our commitment to equity and maintaining the rich diversity of our profession.听

The听Unifying Framework for the Early Childhood Education Profession听gives us a roadmap for building such a system. It envisions听a unified early childhood education profession of educators working with children birth through age 8, wherein early childhood educators at all levels of the profession are valued, respected, and well听compensated.听

As we reflect on how we show up for early childhood educators and demonstrate our appreciation this week and every other week, we know we have to go beyond words. We show our appreciation for educators by advocating for change,听such as

鈥⑻齠ederal and state funding to reflect the true cost of quality, including professional compensation听

鈥⑻齛ccessible pathways to and through degree and preparation programs听

鈥⑻齭upports for educators听and听families to address the developmental, mental health, behavioral,听and听physical needs of children听听

Before this Teacher Appreciation Week and Provider Appreciation Day come to an end, we urge you to join us in听听on behalf of the educators in your life by calling your state and federal lawmakers and advocating for increased investments in early childhood!